Engineer and Police Report on Traffic Conditions at Intersection of 6th St. SO and 7th Ave SO.0
O
April 17, 1981
To: Mayor, Council and City Manager
From: J. J. Strojan, City Engineer
Subject: Report on traffic conditions at the intersection of 6th St. So.
and 7th Ave. So.
This report is the result of an engineering and police study of the
above intersection authorized by the City Council pursuant to a petition
(see attached) presented by the residents of 7th Ave. So. living between
5th St. and 7th St. So. The petition stated that "volume of traffic and
the speed is a safety factor that can endanger our children The peti-
tioners feel that the change from a two -way stop to a 4 -way stop will make
traffic slow down or take an alternate route.
The Engineering Dept. has made traffic counts at the above inter-
section in order to make a recommendation for Council consideration of
possible traffic control changes. This data is applied against the warrant
(or justification, reasons, etc.) for installing a traffic control device
taken from the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for streets and
highways and these standards have been adopted by the Federal Highway
Administration and adopted by the Minnesota Commission of Highways pursuant
to authority by Minnesota Statutes 1971, for use on streets and highways
of the State. (See pages 236 237 attached). The existing sign control
is a 2 -Way stop for E -W traffic on 6th St. The proposed control is a 4 -Way
(multiway) stop by adding stop signs for N -S traffic on 7th Ave. The
attached counts were taken both by means of traffic tapes and by manual
observation. Sheet A shows the hourly count of vehicles approaching the
intersection and the summary by hours for each of the 4 approaches and the
total per hour for the 4 approaches. In order to meet the standards for
a 4 -Way stop the traffic from all approaches must average at least 500
vehicles per hour for any 8 hours of an average day. The highest total is
between 5 6 p.m. (128 vehicles).
Sheet B shows a map of the existing stop signs in the area. Many of
these intersections are already 4 -Way stops which were installed many years
ago when 7th St. was a connection to Co. Rd. 18.
Also attached is a Police report of a radar speed study using an un-
marked police car.
CONCLUSIONS:
From a traffic volume count the volume of vehicles at this intersectic
does not justify a 4 -Way stop. There is no visibility problem except a
motorhome parked on 7th Ave. at the N.E. corner does affect the view for
westbound on 6th St.
The standards state that stop signs should not be used for speed con-
trol. If a 4 -Way stop is authorized, it should be pointed out that the
results may not be necessarily as expected due to the following:
O
JJS:dmj
Att:
(1) An unwarranted stop sign can fail to command respect and result
in the so- called "running stop" or even disregard for the sign.
(2) Speed can increase due to frustration by the drivers for what
they perceive as an unnecessary stop, with an attempt to make up
for lost time.
(3) Stop signs can create a false sense of security, especially for
children, since the pedestrian assumes a car is going to stop.
espectfully submitted,
John J. Strojan
City Engineer
0
Dear Sirs:
Sincerely,
David E. Butz
-11
Virginia F. Butz
616 7th Avenue South
Hopkins, Minnesota 55343
Telephone: 933
March 15, 1981
The attached petition is submitted to have a four way stop installed at the
intersection of 6th street south and 7th avenue south.
There are 38 children presently living on 7th avenue south, between 5th street
and 7th street of which 23 are under 9 years old. The people that signed the
petition feel the volume of traffic and the speed is a safety factor that can
endanger our children.
We feel the four way stop will make the traffic slow down or take an alternate
route. Cars go ly here at speeds anywhere from 20 to 35 miles per hour. The
adjacent street corners are all four way stops and we all feel this one should
be also.
Upon talking to the people who live on the corner of 6th street south and
7th avenue south, there have been several accidents, some of which were never
reported. Also there have been numerous close calls due to excessive speed.
Your consideration and action on this petition will be greatly appreciated.
Allk/ 'A y�
G
,44 /41. L4a
y
Pr
Ad_i Z A0(
to
4'
This petition has been drafted to ask the City of Hopkins to make the
intersection at 6th Street and 7th Avenue South into a four -way stop.
The intersection is currently a two -way on 6th Street with 7th Avenue
having no stop signs..
O' 0
dia 6
/r
r
4/
cal9
alT?
G a C
6
‘78--
p 7.44 AA., si
d oi_7uC� 50
3
t 7 Aur So
fgr- 7r4'
vs 6
„e,
4 /6 fie
z 9
6?6
7'74 ave„, so-
/7.
/9.
go
Pelt 01
7�?... is 8,
k7
"1'UY signs are intended for use on roadways where traffic is
required to stop.
The STOP sign shall be t ictagon with white message and bor-
der on a red background. The standard size shall be 30 inches by
30 inches. Where greater emphasis or visibility is required, a larger
size is recommended. On low volume local streets and secondary
roads with low approach speeds, a 24 -inch by 24 -inch size may be
used.
At a multiway stop intersection (sec. 2B -6), a supplementary
plate (R1 -3) should be mounted just below each STOP sign. If
the number of approach legs to the intersection is three or more,
the numeral on the supplementary plate shall correspond to the
actual number of legs, or the legend ALL -WAY (R1-4) may be
used. The supplementary plate shall have white letters on a red
background and shall have a standard size of 12 inches by 6 inches
(R1 -3) or 18 inches by 6 inches (R1 -4).
A. STOP sign beacon or beacons may be used in. conjunction with
a STOP sign as described in section 4E-4.
Secondary messages shall not be used on STOP sign faces.
2B -5 Warrants for Stop Sign
Because the STOP sign causes a substantial inconvenience to
motorists, it should be used only where warranted. A STOP sign
may be warranted at an intersection where one or more of the fol-
lowing conditions exist:
1. Intersection of a less important road with a main road where
application of the normal right -of -way rule is unduly hazardous.
2. Street entering a through highway or street.
3. TJnsignalized intersection in a signalized area.
I, Mau. iiitc;i.ii tion4 where a combination of high speed, re-
utrictt c1 view, and serious accident record indicates a need for control
by the STOP sign.
STOP signs should never be used on the through roadways of
expressways. Properly designed expressway interchanges provide
for the continuous flow of traffic, making STOP signs unnecessary
even on the entering roadways. Where at -grade intersections are
temporarily justified for local traffic in sparsely populated areas,
STOP signs should be used on the entering roadways to protect, the
through traffic. STOP signs may also be required at the end of
diverging roadways at the intersection with other highways not
designed as expressways. In most of these cases, the speeds will not
warrant any great increase in the sign sizes.
2B-4 32
QJ
.•aavav Vi CalllV
control signals are operating. The conflicting ommands of two
pes of control devices are confusing. If traffl wired to stoi
en the operation of the stop and -go signals is n t warranted, the
signals should be put on flashing operation with the red flashing
light facing the traffic that must stop.
Where two main highways intersect, the STOP sign or signs
should normally be posted on the minor street to stop the lesser flow
of traffic. Traffic engineering studies, however, may justify a deci-
sion to install a STOP sign or signs on the major street, as at a
three -way intersection where safety considerations may justify stop-
ping the greater flow of traffic to permit a left- turning movement.
For other than emergency purposes portable or part -time STOP
signs shall not be used.
STOP signs should not be used for speed control.
2B-6 Multiway Stop Signs
The Multiway Stop" installation is useful as a safety measure
at some locations. It should ordinarily be used only where the
volume of traffic on the intersecting roads is approximately equal.
A traffic control signal is more satisfactory for an intersection with
a heavy volume of traffic.
Any of the following conditions may warrant a multiway STOP
sign installation (sec. 2B-4)
1. Where traffic signals are warranted and urgently needed, the
multiway stop is an interim measure that can be installed quickly
to control traffic while arrangements are being made for the signal
installation.
2. An accident problem, as indicated by five or more reported
accidents of a type susceptible of correction by a multiway stop
installation in a 12 -month period. Such accidents include right
and left -turn collisions as well as right -angle collisions.
3. Minimum traffic volumes
(a) The total vehicular volume entering the intersection from
all approaches must average at least 500 vehicles per hour for any
8 hours of an average day, and
(b) The combined vehicular and pedestrian volume from the
minor street or highway must average at least 200 units per hour
for the same 8 hours, with an average delay to minor street ve-
hicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the maxi-
mum hour, but
(c) When the 85- percentile approach speed of the major street
traffic exceeds 40 miles per hour, the minimum vehicular volume
warrant is 70 percent of the above requirements.
33 2B-G
s$
7 z2( ,5/VE.
P t /y( s
,,J 8
3 4-
—5 4
S G 3
G
1
"9 /7
io
z W 8 L3
6 $T, SD, 77 p I ✓fir S r'o sr go
"I
..5 ID
2 y 74f
/3
/7 /1 tte
/7
Z
0
1
TRAFFIC \/O I,.,.UM g.
k Aiyesikotips4
`Arita arc* 0A)
Th
(Z) 7111AUE.5.01
C (TY op HoF'INS
ENGIN CERI NG DEPr-
SnAOY
OAK
LAIC C
OLPT.
NAPC4
ROAD
PAM
lIr
TN(RM0
AVCTCN
STRUT SO.
,AAK
ro iti o
o c
0 _,0
r ...1r i
e
O
4b.
IT
inowneinaw
ittp
PATER!
—Rou-71--6